Senate impeachment court clarifies 11 votes needed to overturn conviction threshold

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate impeachment court has clarified that 11 votes are needed to overturn the 16-vote threshold required for the conviction of the Vice President. This clarification follows an earlier statement suggesting 10 votes would suffice, amid confusion stemming from the absence of some senator-judges due to legal issues. Senate impeachment court spokesperson Atty. Reginald Tongol clarified on Saturday that if, for instance, 20 senators were present, 11 votes, not 10, would be necessary to overturn the ruling. He explained that this was based on parliamentary rules, specifically Rule 41, Section 116 of the Senate Rules, which supplementarily applies alongside Rule 6 of the Senate Impeachment Rules. These rules stipulate that the presiding officer shall not vote unless their vote is decisive. The impeachment court is scheduled to revisit the voting threshold on Wednesday, September 16, before the prosecution and defense present their arguments on September 23. Tongol added that there remains a possibility for the Supreme Court to review the matter if any party decides to elevate the issue. Such a challenge could be based on grave abuse of discretion amounting to a lack or excess of jurisdiction. To aid in this legal deliberation, the impeachment court has appointed three former Supreme Court chief justices and one retired associate justice as amici curiae, or 'friends of the court'. Tongol assured that impeachment proceedings would continue even if a petition for certiorari is filed before the Supreme Court, provided that no Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) is issued. He stated that proceedings would only halt if a TRO is granted.